For anyone with only a short amount of time in the city, the best way to see the sights is via a sightseeing bus which leave from the station or on one of the many walking tours operating from Marienplatz. There are brewery tours, a free walking tour, pub-crawls as well as a Third Reich walking tour.
Also, it is worth to have a walk through or a rest in the Englischer Garten (English Garden, U-Bahn station Odeonsplatz) where – amongst other things – surfers can be watched showing their skills at a watergate.
Other trips which may appeal to some include trips to Dachau Concentration Camp, Castle Tour, Eagles Nest and the Bayern Munchen Football Tour, details of which are all available on the above websites.
Munchen has a fantastic local transport network, including buses, trams, underground and suburban rail networks.
The S-Bahn, Schnellbahn (fast train), is the fastest way to cover long distances.
Getting Around By Public Transport
Many S-Bahn lines cut right through the city centre and connect, for instance, Munchen’s Hauptbahnhof to Ostbahnhof (East Station), with tourist destinations like Marienplatz and Karsplatz in between.
S-Bahn lines begin with an “S” (for example, S1) and are colour-coded. U-Bahn means underground train. Lines are colour coded and are indicated with a “U” (for example, U2).
To figure out the direction a train is going, check the name of the final destination on the sign hanging above the track. Public transportation runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Regular public transportation usually runs about 2 am, which is when Munchen’s extensive and reliable network of night buses and trams takes over. Look for routes designated with an “N” at bus and tram stops (for example, N17).
Train tickets (valid for all forms of public transportation) are available from machines dotted throughout the stations.
You only need to worry about two different types of ticket: Innenraum (inner city) and XXL (city outskirts). If you plan on staying in the city centre, the Innenraum is the ticket to buy. If you also plan on visiting places like Dachau Concentration Camp, buy an XXL ticket.
Kurzstrecke (short distance) €1.10: one journey up to two stops in one direction,
Einzelfahrschein (single ticket) €2.20: one journey in one zone,
Tageskarte Innenraum (day ticket) €5 Innenraum, €6,70 XXL: valid all day until 6am the following day.
Always validate your ticket the first time you travel at one of the blue stamping machines near the platforms.The fine for being caught travelling without a valid ticket is €40 and if you don’t have the cash on you, they’ll take you to a cash machine or call the police.
For further information on the public transport system, including maps and fares, visit www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/
